Mindful Companies founder urges city partnership, says data model can scale workforce training

Reginald Reed, founder and CEO of Mindful Companies, told the Community and Economic Development Committee on July 2 that his organization has developed a data-driven workforce-training model and is seeking city partnership to reach sustainability and scale.

Reed said his organization has invested roughly $5,100,000 in Milwaukee residents since February 2016 and that those efforts "yielded $67,000,000 in new wages," which prompted him to convert the model into an algorithm he said Harvard had expressed interest in. He described a funding and surplus-distribution model that, he said, channels training surplus into supportive services and growth so the program can become tuition-free and self-sustaining.

Reed outlined operational details: participants come entirely by referral; primary funding flows through WIOA (the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) channels; surplus is split so "40% goes to fund people who don't qualify for WIOA," 40% to supportive services and the remainder to growth. He said Mindful has trained about 275 students this year but has a wait list of more than 1,000 and that "our training program has never charged a single student tuition." Reed described partnership work with the district attorney's office, JusticePoint, and the Department of Corrections to reduce nonprogram barriers (for example, complications with probation/parole and driver's licenses).

Committee response and next steps Committee members praised the data focus. Alderman Deandre Jackson said, "That's what you need. You can't prove it. There's no point in doing it. And, math is not biased. So the formula can work anywhere, technically." Chair Alderman Russell Stanford II said he would invite Reed to a future RPP (Requirements of Participation in Projects) discussion and the council meeting after the August break to explore potential city support.

Reed also reported operational obstacles: he said Mindful has encountered gatekeeping from an organization identified as Dynamic Workforce Solutions, a contracted Title I provider, and that he recently met with the CEO of Employ Milwaukee who acknowledged earlier misconceptions after a site visit. Reed requested help navigating city funding and procurement rules to reach sustainability.

Committee action Alderman Deandre Jackson moved to hold the communication "at the call of the chair." The motion carried by unanimous voice consent (recorded as "hearing no objection, so ordered"). The committee and Reed agreed to follow up: Reed will provide a proposal for city partnership and Reed was invited to the committee's upcoming RPP discussion and to a council meeting after the summer break.

What was claimed and what the city will do Reed's numbers and outcomes are his stated results and presented as the organization’s data and conclusions; the city did not commit funding on the spot. The committee requested a formal proposal and additional information to evaluate potential partnership, and scheduled further discussion of RPP implementation and city procurement/funding alignment.